Lens-scanning-type, mirror-projection-type, proximity-type, and other types of light-exposure devices are conventionally used, for example, for exposure of glass substrates, or the like, used in large liquid crystal display panels, or the like. Another practice is to introduce light transmitted through a pattern formed on a large mask into a plurality of projection optical systems (multi-lens), resolve images separately on a substrate, and expose a plurality of regions on the substrate through a single exposure. Such a light-exposure method is adopted for exposure of substrates requiring a resolution of 3 μm or larger.
However, when the substrate used is small, for example, such as a glass substrate used in a liquid crystal display, or the like, for a portable telephone, a light-exposure method using a multi-lens such as mentioned above cannot be adopted because a high resolution of 2 μm or smaller is required. A stepper-type light-exposure device used for exposure of semiconductor substrates, or the like, is therefore used (for example, patent documents 1 and 2).
In a stepper-type light-exposure device, light transmitted through each pattern formed on the mask is transmitted to a reduction optical system, and a substrate is then irradiated therewith. A glass substrate used in a liquid crystal display panel, or the like, for a portable telephone is conventionally produced from a large, for example, 1.5 m2 substrate, and a plurality of times of exposure is performed for each region to become one or a plurality of individual glass substrates. The substrate on which all regions to become individual substrates were exposed is separated in a later step and a plurality of glass substrates is produced.
Patent document 1: Japanese Patent Application Kokai Publication No. 2006-235515
Patent document 2: PCT International Publication No. 2005/038518